dessert – Page 13 – My Whisk and I

Chocolate Cheesecakes

August 26, 2022August 25, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

These cheesecakes are topped with an almost-s’more topping that is the most delicious, delish you will taste!!

Biscuit base:
250g digestive biscuits
100g butter, melted
1 egg white (keep the yolk for the cheesecake filling)

Filling:
120g dark chocolate, chopped
390g cream cheese, room temperature
125ml sugar
30ml cocoa powder, sifted
62ml sour cream
5ml vanilla
2 eggs
1 egg yolk

Topping:
3 egg whites
190ml granulated sugar
5ml vanilla
1,2ml cream of tartar

For the biscuit base:
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cups. Spray the paper cups with baking spray and set aside.
Process the biscuits to crumbs.
Whisk the egg white with a fork until just frothy and add to the crumbs.
Add the melted butter and give everything a good mix. The mixture should resemble wet sand.
Divide between the cupcake liners and press the mixture down firmly into the bottom of each cup.
Bake in the oven for 5 minutes.
Remove and allow to cool.

For the filling:
Turn you oven temperature down to 160℃.
Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place it in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water.
Allow to melt completely, remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Add the cream cheese, sugar and cocoa powder to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Beat on low speed until combined, scraping down once or twice between mixing.
Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer, add the melted chocolate and fold in until no streaks remain.
Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake cups.
Bake for 15 minutes or until just set in the centre.
Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecakes inside with the door closed, for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool completely in the baking tin.
Refrigerate the cheesecakes for 1 hour before adding the topping.

Marshmallow-Meringue Topping:
Turn your oven to the grill setting and move the oven rack to the top position. If you are going to blow-torch your toppings you may leave your oven off.
Add the egg whites and sugar to a heatproof bowl and place the bowl over a saucepan with simmering water.
Whisk the mixture for about 3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is very frothy.
Remove from the heat and pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Add the vanilla and cream of tartar.
Beat on high speed for about 6 minutes, until very thick and glossy.
Spoon or pipe the topping on the cheesecakes and either place under the grill to toast or blow-torch the topping.

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Wine Jellies

August 19, 2022August 18, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Edible flowers (or fruits like berries)
45ml water
10ml powdered gelatine
45ml sugar
150ml hot water
75ml sparkling wine

Prepare your moulds/cups by lining them with plastic wrap.
Place the flowers inside the moulds and set aside.
Pour 45ml cold water into a small mixing bowl and sprinkle the gelatine over. Set aside to bloom for 5 minutes.
Add the sugar to the gelatine and pour in the hot water. Stir to dissolve.
Add the sparkling wine and mix well.
Allow the liquid to cool to the point where it is cold but still completely runny.
Pour into the moulds and refrigerate until set.

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Jodetert/Custard Cake

August 12, 2022August 12, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Jodetert is a traditional South African bake of years gone by. It is a wonderful concoction of light and buttery biscuit discs, layered with a soft custard and literally melts in one’s mouth. Without doubt, one of my all-time favourite eats – do try it!

Biscuit:
250g butter, softened
300g flour
240g sugar
10ml baking powder
1ml salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Filling:
80g flour
250g sugar
4 egg yolks
1 litre milk
5ml vanilla

For the biscuit:
Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Cut 8 pieces of baking paper the size of a large baking tray. Spray each paper sheet with cooking spray.
Add the butter, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse to mix.
Add the beaten egg in a thin stream while the engine is running, until the mixture comes together in a dough ball.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Divide the dough in to 7 equal portions.
Place one piece of dough on a sprayed piece of baking paper and dust with flour. Place another piece of baking paper on top and roll the dough to a thickness of 5 mm and a 20cm diameter circle.
Remove the baking paper on top and place the dough circle on the baking sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden.
Repeat with the other 6 pieces of dough.

For the filling:
Add the flour, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla to a large mixing bowl and whisk together.
Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Drizzle the milk onto the flour mixture in a thin stream while whisking continuously.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place over a low heat. Stir with a whisk until it thickens.
Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour the custard into a clean bowl and place some plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Allow to cool completely.

Assembly:
Spoon the custard into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm nozzle.
Place the first biscuit disc on a serving plate, pipe a spiral of custard onto it and place the second biscuit circle on top of it. Repeat the process of piping custard and stacking the biscuit discs until you have none left.
Dust the Jodetert with some icing sugar and serve with a good cup of coffee.

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Fruity Weet-Bix Slice

August 10, 2022August 4, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

180g butter, melted
170g sugar
3 weet-bix bars, crushed or about 150g of crumbs/broken pieces
150g self-raising flour
85g desiccated coconut
2 x 395g cans condensed milk
310ml lemon juice (strained if using fresh)
about 150g raspberries and blueberries

Preheat your oven to 170℃ and line a 20cm x 30cm oven tray with baking paper, allowing an overhang so that you can easily remove the fruit slices when set.
Add the butter, sugar, weet-bix, flour and coconut to a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tray and smooth it out.
Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Add the condensed milk and lemon juice to a mixing bowl and whisk until combined.
Scatter the raspberries and blueberries over the cooled base.
Gently pour the condensed milk mixture over the fruit and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove and allow to cool to room temperature.
Refrigerate overnight before slicing into squares to serve.
Keep refrigerated.

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Cheat’s Milktart

August 5, 2022August 4, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Biscuit base:
250g dry biscuits
100g butter, melted
1 egg white

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Add the biscuits to the bowl of a food processor and process to crumbs.
Whisk the egg white just until frothy and add it to the crumbs with the melted butter.
Mix well until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Tip the crumb-mixture into a loose-bottom tart tin and level it out. Use a glass with a flat bottom to press the crumb down firmly all over and up the sides of the tin. Keep pressing until the base comes together.
Place the tart tin on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
Set aside to cool.

Filling:
60ml cornstarch
120ml water
2 egg yolks
500ml ready-made custard
ground cinnamon

Add the cornstarch to a large mixing bowl and pour the water over. Mix to a smooth slurry.
Add the egg yolks and whisk through.
Pour the custard into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Remove from the heat and slowly and in a very thin stream, add it to the slurry while whisking continuously.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place it on medium heat while whisking until it thickens.
Pour the filling into the cooled base and sprinkle with ground cinnamon.
Refrigerate the milk tart for 3-4 hours before serving.

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Fruit Salad

August 4, 2022August 1, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

papino
raspberries
blueberries
cape gooseberries
1 x container ready-made vanilla custard

Peel the papino and cut it in half. Slice a small section away on the rounded side so that it forms a base on which the fruit can “stand”.
Place the half on a serving dish and fill the cavity with the berries and a generous dollop of custard!!

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Quick Biscuit Trifle

August 2, 2022August 1, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 x container ready-made vanilla custard
1 x packet of your favourite biscuits
2 x packets of instant jelly, prepared according to the packet instructions

Place the biscuits in a plastic bag and smash it with a rolling pin. Do not make it too fine as little chunks of biscuit add a good texture.
Cut the prepared jelly into small cubes.
Assemble the trifle by layering the biscuit crumb, custard and jelly.
End with a layer of custard, add some fresh fruit and serve with a smile.

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Hot Cross Bun Pudding

August 1, 2022July 31, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

4 eggs
180g sugar
600ml cream
600ml milk
15ml vanilla
6 hot cross buns
butter
125ml pistachio nuts
grated zest of 1 orange

Preheat your oven to 170℃.
Add the eggs and sugar to a mixing bowl and whisk together with electric beaters until pale. Set aside.
Pour the cream and milk into a saucepan and place it over a high heat. Bring the mixture just to the boil.
Pour the cream and milk onto the egg and sugar in a very thin stream, while constantly whisking.
Add the vanilla to the mixture and stir through.
Set aside to cool slightly.
Slice the buns in half and spread each with butter. Dip each half into the milk mixture, allowing 2-3 seconds for the buns to absorb the liquid.
Arrange the halved buns so that they overlap slightly in a 18 – 23cm ovenproof dish.
Now pour the rest of the mixture through a sieve and drizzle it onto the buns.
Scatter the pistachio nuts and orange zest over and set aside for 20 minutes so that the buns can soak up the custard mixture.
Place the pudding in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
Dust with icing sugar and serve with custard.

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Sweet Bougatsa/Custard Pie

July 29, 2022June 21, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

There are shops in Greece devoted entirely to serving Bougatsa, called Bougatsazidika. They open from 4 a.m. until lunchtime and you will often see people queueing outside in the very early hours, to get their slice of happiness…

150g + 150g sugar
8 egg yolks
60g semolina
60g cornflour
10ml vanilla
grated zest of 1 lemon
grated zest of 1 orange
1l milk
500g phyllo pastry
200g butter, melted
icing sugar to serve

Preheat your oven to 240℃.
Add the egg yolks and 150g sugar to a mixing bowl and whisk together.
Add the semolina and cornflour and whisk until smooth.
Add the vanilla, lemon and orange zest and whisk again. Set aside.
Pour the milk and 150g sugar into a saucepan and place it over medium-high heat.
Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Drizzle the milk onto the egg mixture in a very thin stream while whisking continuously.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium heat.
Whisk the mixture until it is thick and starts to bubble.
Take the saucepan from the heat and set aside.
Brush a 27cm x 37cm x 5cm roasting tray with the melted butter.
Lay a sheet of phyllo pastry in the tray and brush the top of the pastry with butter.
Lay down two more sheets, brushing each with butter.
Pour in the custard mixture and spread it out evenly.
Cover the filling with another three phyllo sheets, again brushing each with melted butter.
Fold in the overhanging pastry around the edges of the roasting tin and make it look like a sealed parcel.
Brush the top with melted butter and bake for 12 minutes, until golden.
Remove the bougatsa from the oven and cut into portions.
Dust with plenty of icing sugar and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

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Greek Rice Pudding/Rizogalo

July 22, 2022June 19, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

150g risotto rice
30ml cornflour
600ml milk
zest of 1 lemon
75g sugar
2 egg yolks

Add the rice to a saucepan and pour in 300ml water.
Set the saucepan over a low heat and cook the rice for 10 minutes, until most of the water has been absorbed.
Add the cornflour to a small bowl and pour about 45ml of milk into it. Stir to dissolve and set aside.
Pour the rest of the milk into the saucepan with the rice, add the lemon zest and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring often.
Add the cornflour-slurry and the sugar and simmer for 3 minutes more.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and cool for about 10 minutes.
Add the egg yolks and mix through.
Serve the rice pudding slightly warm.